Meena MLAs of ruling BJP oppose Gujjars' demand of ST status

Jaipur, Jun 1 (UNI) Over 15 BJP legislators from the Meena community today met Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to oppose the demand of inclusion of the Gujjar community in the Scheduled Tribe category and urged her to take stern action against Gujjar protestors who disrupted law and order in the state.

The group of about 15 to 18 Meena MLAs met the Chief Minister at her official residence here under the leadership of Food and Civil Supply Minister Kirodi Lal Meena and Minister of state for Finance Virendra Meena.

The legislators had conveyed to the Chief Minister that Meena, a Scheduled Tribe community, was against the inclusion of any new community in the ST category and the state government should not bow to pressure from the Gujjar community.

These legislators also urged the Chief Minister to adopt a stern attitude toward the violent agitation by Gujjars and save the public from problems being faced in the wake of ongoing agitation for the past four days.

Meanwhile, these Meena MLAs appealed to their community and people at large to work for restoration of peace.

Notably, this is a second move made by sitting Rajasthan BJP MLAs to safeguard their respective community interest in the wake of the agitation.

Earlier, six BJP MLAs from the Gujjar community, including Panchayat Raj Minister Kalu Lal Gurjar, had made a written submission before BJP state president Mahesh Sharma, seeking his permission to quit their assembly membership to serve the cause of Gujjar community in the ongoing agitation.

The BJP state president had forwarded the MLAs' submission to party national President Rajnath Singh.

UNI